This invention relates to a hair warming tool which allows a hair treatment preparation of the type that the effect is enhanced at a raised temperature to manifest its effect securely and selectively on a desired part of hair without causing discomfort or a burn due to heat and which is convenient for use at home, and to a hair treating method using the same.
Various types of hair warming tools for hair treatment have been proposed. For example, hair warming tools used for waving or curling hair include those capable of warming hair over the whole length from the roots to ends of hair and those capable of warming a partial length of hair. Partial hair warming for hair treatment is practiced by beauticians, etc.
Women of today, especially young women, tend to have their hair dyed, bleached or permed so frequently that their hair are apt to suffer from damage. Everyday use of a hair drier for drying or styling and excessive brushing also cause hair damage. In particular, tips of hair suffer from considerable damage, undergoing appreciable deterioration of physical properties such as strength and water retention, compared with other part of hair. It is therefore desirable that treatment for damaged hair be concentrated on hair tips rather than other part of hair.
JP-A-10-108719 discloses a method of warming a selected section of hair and a tool therefor. The hair warming tool disclosed is a hair warming cap partitioned into a plurality of sections. A user wears the cap with a disposable body warmer attached to sections where hair is to be warmed. However, the method of using the hair warming cap involves a fear of giving discomfort to a user or even causing a burn of the scalp by the generated heat. Further, the heating temperature cannot be set high. Furthermore, the hair warming cap is incapable of selectively heating a desired part of hair shafts, for example the tip of hair.
JP-A-8-24033 discloses a warming sheet which is composed of a base sheet having provided thereon a heat generating part and a sealing part both having a shape of a wide strip, the base sheet being folded along folding lines so that the sealing part is brought into contact with the heat generating part to seal the heat generating part. On use, the warming sheet is unfolded to strip the sealing part from the heat generating part and rolled up into a hot roll. A section of hair is rolled up on the hot roll to curl, or a section of hair is put on the heat generating part of the unfolded sheet and rolled up together with the sheet to curl. The warming sheet is not quick and easy to use for general consumers because a user has trouble making the warming sheet ready to use and also has difficulty in rolling her hair and fastening the roll by herself.
In short, conventional hair warming tools or hair treating methods are incapable of treating a selective portion of hair or inconvenient for general users to use at home from the standpoint of safety, manageability, cost, and the like.